Montreal: Even if comedies traditionally get the lion’s share of sponsorship support in the Quebec theatrical market, the promotional backing planned for Louis 19, le roi des ondes appears to top all previous efforts.

Malofilm Distribution will launch 35 prints of the Michel Poulette comedy April 1, mainly on Cineplex Odeon screens. Major media support will come from the TVA Television Network, Le Journal de Montreal, Le Journal de Quebec, Le Lundi, a widely distributed weekly newsmagazine, rock radio station ckoi-fm and Labatt Bleue, says the film’s distributor, Yves Dion, president of Malofilm Distribution.

The release for Louis 19 is in line with the Allegro Films Distribution release of Matusalem, the Roger Cantin children’s fantasy which peaked at 41 screens in January, and last summer’s release of Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, launched on more than 30 screens across Quebec. Both films had the backing of McDonald’s Restaurants.

A luxury by any standard, and a rarity for Canadian films, Louis 19’s theatrical release will be supported with six weeks of tv advertising on tva, Radio-Canada, and MusiquePlus.

Dion says Malofilm and tva plan to give Louis 19 unprecedented tv exposure.

The film stars Martin Drainville, Agathe de la Fontaine, Dominique Michel, Yves Jacques, Patricia Tulasne and Benoit Briere in a story about a tv addict who wins a contest only to find every minute of his life being broadcast live on television.

During the first two months of the release, the public will be invited to participate in a Louis 19 contest by sending in videotapes which recreate a scene from the movie. The top 10 tapes will be aired on Drole de Video, the highly rated Quebecois adaptation of America’s Funniest Home Videos. The contest’s winner will subsequently appear on tv in three- to four-minute capsules for an entire day and be given a chance to participate in a cross-media treasure hunt with $50,000 in prizes, including a Volkswagen Jetta and Air Canada holiday tickets.

In another promotion involving Labatt Bleue, Louis 19’s leading players will appear on the tva talk show Ad Lib, and as contestants for a full week on Quebec’s top-rated supper-hour game show Piment Fort, also seen on tva.

Louis 19 producers are Richard Sadler of Montreal’s Films Stock International and Jacques Dorfmann of Eiffel Productions, Paris.

Produced at a cost of approximately $3 million, Louis 19 is a Canada/France coproduction.